This film may seem kind of weird or even bland to some due to its dry, quirky humour, but it's not a bad film. It does start off seemingly random but there are some pretty interesting dialogues between characters. 6/10.
By the way, you know you need better hobbies when you recognise/have read most of the BL mangas that were being flipped through during that Marvel parody opening title sequence... OTL lofl.
Honestly, I watched this film because I read the comments and the review. (I get interested in films that seem to be controversial to people, hehe.) This film wasn't bad, but it wasn't that amazing either - it was pretty lacking. The acting was superb and I do completely agree that the writing for this film fell pretty flat. The overall storyline was pretty cliché and there wasn't enough characterization, so it was kind of hard to connect with the characters. The film didn't get exciting until almost half way in, and even then, it still wasn't that absorbing.
This film is violent but it definitely isn't the goriest or the most senselessly violent film I've ever seen. It does also have sex scenes (about three, and yes, containing nudity) but I hardly consider them useless or inappropriate as some of the comments mentioned below. The sex between the two characters represented their connection and Hwan's (Lee Min Ki) attachment to Yeon Soo (Lee Tae Im) which ended up being a, more or less, significant element to the story. It might have come off as "useless" because of the writing and how the scenes were executed. Personally, I've hardly come across a film where a sex scene is actually pointless, especially since it's one of the most natural human acts. (Unless they're like sex scenes in most horror films... those usually are pointless and just placed in there to please the male audience, only sexualizing the female character.) Sex scenes just has to be viewed from a more artistic and mature mindset is all. Overall though, I gave the film a 6/10.
It's been years and I'm still hoping they do a second season... though I doubt they ever will :/
Honestly, that sucks because there were characters with personal stories that were introduced and I feel that they were never fully elaborated on or finished because the show started to focus on two or so characters in particular. I need closure from the other characters too! Lol.
This short film is definitely one with much subtext. The conversations between the two may seem trivial - just two girls rambling about nothing, but there's actually so much being said. As the comment below says; "if one can appreciate the absence of things, one will be able to understand and appreciate this film".
What I love about a film that doesn't feel the need to explain much, is that it leaves so much space for many different interpretations and feelings. (To be honest, I think that may be a point the film is making within itself.) For instance, as beautiful as I found this short film, it did leave me with a feeling of sadness. My friend didn't feel the same. But, with all that being said, I found the cinematography beautiful - it definitely added to the overall tone of the film. I also found the direction and acting to be good as well. 8.5/10
As promising as the storyline was, the film still fell flat for me.
What I did find interesting about this film, yet kind of sad, was how the main character plays into this stereotype of a Japanese person - basically an exaggeration of what most foreigners usually think about Japanese people - just to be accepted and gain a voice amongst foreigners. For someone like me, who has had to live in another country (the US) and knows what it feels to be stereotyped just because you come from a different place, I couldn’t help but find the main character frustrating and sad for obliging in the foreigners and their narrow, one-dimensional assumptions of his identity. However, what was interesting about this was how the execution of this film managed to kind of play with that… On the surface the main character may have seemed like the idiot, but after a while, I started to notice that it was the foreigners that looked like the even bigger idiots for playing into the shenanigans (*cough* nya nya *cough* lol), and how in the end, the main character pretty much used those preconceptions and stereotypes to his advantage (whether he knew he was doing it or not).
With that being said, as I mentioned before, the film did fall flat for me. The acting was decent considering the type of characters they were playing, but the writing and characters themselves are filled with boring clichés. The story had me intrigued for the first 15 minutes or so, but I did start to loose interest halfway through because it wasn't really moving anywhere that interesting. If I did snicker at something, it was because it was awkward, not necessarily because it was funny. While other “funny” moments just didn’t really jump out at me. My rating - 4.5/10
Okay writing, okay acting, okay direction, okay cinematography. Overall, an okay film. Not much to this film, therefore not much to say about it. Rating - 4.5
Overall, I thought this film was okay. As some have mentioned, it won't be the most memorable film, but I don't think that that necessarily makes this a bad film. It is a simple plot but it is also pretty relatable - it's mainly about unrequited love (I mean, who hasn't experienced one of those in their lifetime lol). The synopsis does pretty much give you the skeleton of the story, but I feel that the meat and flesh of the story comes from the characters themselves - how they handle the situation, how they effect each other, and how they develop. This film isn't filled with gimmicky romantic clichés (well, besides the one you basically read about in the synopsis) and the tone is pretty mellow, but I wouldn't really call this film boring or slow. It dabbles more (or less) into realism - probably why I think some might find it boring... because it doesn't come off so melodramatic and fast-paced as most mainstream romance films would. I also felt that the acting was pretty good throughout the film.
As for the ending that some don't seem to understand, just think of the title. Not the "My Pretend Girlfriend" title but the "Look Over Here, Momose" title, which is the more literal English translation of the Japanese title. Now also think about the last thing he said to Momose during the last flashback scene (or better yet, think about and listen to the ENTIRE scene and compare it to the ending… it should come together). That's all I can really say without spoiling anything and without making this comment way longer than it already is lol. My rating - 6.5
Just an opinion, but I think that if Hiroshi was an hallucination the ENTIRE time, not just after the first threat, the plot would've been more solid and convincing. The psychology behind everything would've made more sense to me as well.
Oh, and that ending... pretty cheesy. Not even gonna mention the girlfriend just sitting there and letting him die part while he spouts out cheesy lines on his death bed. More so his hallucination (Hiroshi) telling him everything at the end... what? Is that how hallucinations work? I didn't know people who hallucinate were aware that they were hallucinating, let alone the actual hallucination being aware. But that's the part of the writing that makes it seem like the writer was dumbing everything down. It should've more or less just ended with him stabbing himself, thinking it was Hiroshi. Plus, why hype up him killing his mom if he never really did?! The whole killed-her-but-didn't-really-just-in-our-heads thing felt unnecessary, especially since the trauma of his mom being neglectful towards him and the added pressure he felt from his dad and girlfriend would've been more than enough to spark the hallucinations anyway... and since I'm assuming the character is probably supposed to be schizophrenic or something. Ugh, I had to watch this film 3 times to make sure I was getting things... But sorry, I'm babbling... lol.
I'd consider this film to be more of a psychological film than just a suspense alone. With that said, this film wasn't as suspenseful and convincing as it could've been, which sucks because it had a lot of potential to be. I loved the overall concept of the film, but the plot was predictable because the clues were pretty obvious. The writing itself was lacking - it felt like it was dumbed down for the audience (which is a personal pet peeve of mine), and because of that, to me, the film wasn't gripping enough and lost edge. However, the cinematography was gorgeous and the acting was pretty good. Though, the special effects did look pretty cheap. 5.5/10
Watch this film and you'll be in for a dark, twisted, and crazy hell ride. I finished this film feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, but not necessarily in a bad way. 7.5/10
Good acting and great music. But pretty much your typical romance film plot. 7/10.
P.S. Make sure you watch until the very end of the credits... there's a little bit more at the end ;)
I'm not usually an emotional person, but this film... well, it managed to get a tear drop or two (or thousand) out of me. I was pulled into the story almost immediately. This film really displays the true strength and maturity children possess when going through difficult situations. I only hope that when I have a kid or two, I can be as great of a parent as the two parents in this film. Even though this film may hit you in the feels a bit, it does have genuine, funny, and sweet family moments. Also, the acting in this film was superb - extra kudos to Jo Sung Mok, who portrayed Han Ah Reum (the son). From the looks of it, others seem disappointed with this film, but for me, I had no expectations going in. Honestly, I just picked this film at random from the top rated films list and ended up pleased with my selection.
Wow, I see a lot of hostile comments revolving around this drama. What I think most people should realise about film & television shows is that just because you don't agree with the subject matter or the character's actions, that doesn't make it a bad film or television show. At the end of the day, it's about the storytelling.
I, for one, can agree with most of the comments - I don't like cheaters either. Especially those who cheat when married. But my personal beliefs didn't stop me from enjoying this drama. The story was different, which made it interesting to me. I thought the characters were pretty interesting, though I did find some of them to be annoying, selfish, childish, and hypocritical. But what human isn't? I also found it interesting how their different personalities interacted/conflicted with one another. The acting was quite superb as well, especially towards the end of the drama when the story gets a little more intense.
Personally, I think that there needs to be an open-mindedness when it comes to art, in general. Art isn't always supposed to be likable, it is supposed to promote intrigue, discussion, and emotions (whether good or bad). These things happen in real life.This drama is more realistic than most - not sweet and sugarcoated relationships. And to be fair, karma does play its part within this drama. 7/10.
Random side note to those in relationships: Communication in relationships are important, and marriage (or any relationship) doesn't have to be a certain way just because society says it's supposed to be this or that way. Naaah. Everyone's relationship is different - no two couples are alike. Make sure your relationship with your significant other is how the two of you like it, and that it makes you BOTH happy. Sorry, if I came off like a preachy grandma xD
Abandoned this after episode 5. Absolutely terrible. I can't stand how she is treated. She is so kind and considerate,
I completely agree! I agree with you about the lead male character - just because he was nice to her in the very end (which seems like he only came to because his precious little toy/property was about to get taken away from him by another man) doesn't make up for the pain he put her through - it might as well be considered emotional abuse. Also agree with you about the lead female character. Not only was she clingy and borderline stalker, she was so dense and pitiful. I hate when they make female characters like this. Overall, I really wish these romantic comedy dramas (Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, etc.), would stop romanticizing men who are d*cks to women, and stop presenting these one-dimensional female characters, especially ones who end up enduring pain/abuse from men just because they love them and there's a possibility that they might like them back. I used to think dramas like this were cute, but now, sadly they just annoy me. Anyway... sorry for the rant xD
That poster is such a spoiler... The movie would have been more interesting if I hadn't known from the beginning…
Ironically enough, your comment is kinda more of a spoiler than the poster lol. I didn't think much of the poster until I saw this comment, to be honest. I ended up putting things together a lot earlier than I think the writers would have preferred. But I still enjoyed it :)
I don't know why the synopsis says " a competition takes place". It kind of misled me to thinking that there would be competition between the two killers, but there isn't - not that that effected my overall thoughts on the film. I liked it - it is an interesting and entertaining film. I was intrigued from the start. You get a little taste of how deranged the mind of a serial killer can be/get (one definitely more deranged than the other). But if you're someone sensitive to violence and some gore, then this is probably not for you. I mean, I myself, am not the biggest fan of gory films (though I don't mind violent films), but this was okay for me. Only had to shield my eyes about two or three times.
This is pretty much your typical, predictable, yet sweet, romantic comedy (just condensed into two hours). Kudos to the cast - the acting was really good all around.
It's an okay film - cute, funny, and a kind of interesting story about friendship (it has a little twist in it). Though, I'm assuming that this is an adaption of a manga or anime because nothing says 'ecchi manga/anime' like the unnecessary sexualization of female characters. Still, I giggled throughout and thought the ending was sweet.
By the way, you know you need better hobbies when you recognise/have read most of the BL mangas that were being flipped through during that Marvel parody opening title sequence... OTL lofl.
This film is violent but it definitely isn't the goriest or the most senselessly violent film I've ever seen. It does also have sex scenes (about three, and yes, containing nudity) but I hardly consider them useless or inappropriate as some of the comments mentioned below. The sex between the two characters represented their connection and Hwan's (Lee Min Ki) attachment to Yeon Soo (Lee Tae Im) which ended up being a, more or less, significant element to the story. It might have come off as "useless" because of the writing and how the scenes were executed. Personally, I've hardly come across a film where a sex scene is actually pointless, especially since it's one of the most natural human acts. (Unless they're like sex scenes in most horror films... those usually are pointless and just placed in there to please the male audience, only sexualizing the female character.) Sex scenes just has to be viewed from a more artistic and mature mindset is all. Overall though, I gave the film a 6/10.
Honestly, that sucks because there were characters with personal stories that were introduced and I feel that they were never fully elaborated on or finished because the show started to focus on two or so characters in particular. I need closure from the other characters too! Lol.
What I love about a film that doesn't feel the need to explain much, is that it leaves so much space for many different interpretations and feelings. (To be honest, I think that may be a point the film is making within itself.) For instance, as beautiful as I found this short film, it did leave me with a feeling of sadness. My friend didn't feel the same. But, with all that being said, I found the cinematography beautiful - it definitely added to the overall tone of the film. I also found the direction and acting to be good as well. 8.5/10
What I did find interesting about this film, yet kind of sad, was how the main character plays into this stereotype of a Japanese person - basically an exaggeration of what most foreigners usually think about Japanese people - just to be accepted and gain a voice amongst foreigners. For someone like me, who has had to live in another country (the US) and knows what it feels to be stereotyped just because you come from a different place, I couldn’t help but find the main character frustrating and sad for obliging in the foreigners and their narrow, one-dimensional assumptions of his identity. However, what was interesting about this was how the execution of this film managed to kind of play with that… On the surface the main character may have seemed like the idiot, but after a while, I started to notice that it was the foreigners that looked like the even bigger idiots for playing into the shenanigans (*cough* nya nya *cough* lol), and how in the end, the main character pretty much used those preconceptions and stereotypes to his advantage (whether he knew he was doing it or not).
With that being said, as I mentioned before, the film did fall flat for me. The acting was decent considering the type of characters they were playing, but the writing and characters themselves are filled with boring clichés. The story had me intrigued for the first 15 minutes or so, but I did start to loose interest halfway through because it wasn't really moving anywhere that interesting. If I did snicker at something, it was because it was awkward, not necessarily because it was funny. While other “funny” moments just didn’t really jump out at me. My rating - 4.5/10
As for the ending that some don't seem to understand, just think of the title. Not the "My Pretend Girlfriend" title but the "Look Over Here, Momose" title, which is the more literal English translation of the Japanese title. Now also think about the last thing he said to Momose during the last flashback scene (or better yet, think about and listen to the ENTIRE scene and compare it to the ending… it should come together). That's all I can really say without spoiling anything and without making this comment way longer than it already is lol. My rating - 6.5
Oh, and that ending... pretty cheesy. Not even gonna mention the girlfriend just sitting there and letting him die part while he spouts out cheesy lines on his death bed. More so his hallucination (Hiroshi) telling him everything at the end... what? Is that how hallucinations work? I didn't know people who hallucinate were aware that they were hallucinating, let alone the actual hallucination being aware. But that's the part of the writing that makes it seem like the writer was dumbing everything down. It should've more or less just ended with him stabbing himself, thinking it was Hiroshi. Plus, why hype up him killing his mom if he never really did?! The whole killed-her-but-didn't-really-just-in-our-heads thing felt unnecessary, especially since the trauma of his mom being neglectful towards him and the added pressure he felt from his dad and girlfriend would've been more than enough to spark the hallucinations anyway... and since I'm assuming the character is probably supposed to be schizophrenic or something. Ugh, I had to watch this film 3 times to make sure I was getting things... But sorry, I'm babbling... lol.
P.S. Make sure you watch until the very end of the credits... there's a little bit more at the end ;)
I, for one, can agree with most of the comments - I don't like cheaters either. Especially those who cheat when married. But my personal beliefs didn't stop me from enjoying this drama. The story was different, which made it interesting to me. I thought the characters were pretty interesting, though I did find some of them to be annoying, selfish, childish, and hypocritical. But what human isn't? I also found it interesting how their different personalities interacted/conflicted with one another. The acting was quite superb as well, especially towards the end of the drama when the story gets a little more intense.
Personally, I think that there needs to be an open-mindedness when it comes to art, in general. Art isn't always supposed to be likable, it is supposed to promote intrigue, discussion, and emotions (whether good or bad). These things happen in real life.This drama is more realistic than most - not sweet and sugarcoated relationships. And to be fair, karma does play its part within this drama. 7/10.
Random side note to those in relationships: Communication in relationships are important, and marriage (or any relationship) doesn't have to be a certain way just because society says it's supposed to be this or that way. Naaah. Everyone's relationship is different - no two couples are alike. Make sure your relationship with your significant other is how the two of you like it, and that it makes you BOTH happy. Sorry, if I came off like a preachy grandma xD
I don't know why the synopsis says " a competition takes place". It kind of misled me to thinking that there would be competition between the two killers, but there isn't - not that that effected my overall thoughts on the film. I liked it - it is an interesting and entertaining film. I was intrigued from the start. You get a little taste of how deranged the mind of a serial killer can be/get (one definitely more deranged than the other). But if you're someone sensitive to violence and some gore, then this is probably not for you. I mean, I myself, am not the biggest fan of gory films (though I don't mind violent films), but this was okay for me. Only had to shield my eyes about two or three times.